The very beautiful and interesting epistle to Philemon does
not require much comment; it is an expression of the love which
works by the Spirit within the assembly of God in all the
circumstances of individual life.

Written for the purpose of awakening in Philemon sentiments
which certain events had a tendency to extinguish in his heart,
this epistle is suited to produce those feelings in the reader more
than to be the object of explanation.

It is a fine picture of the way in which the tenderness and the
strength of the love of God, working in the heart, occupies itself
with every detail wherein that love might be wounded, or that might
be an occasion for its growth and manifestation. In this point of
view the epistle is as important as beautiful; for this development
of tender and delicate consideration in the midst of the apostle's
gigantic labours, and of the immense truths that formed the basis
of relationship between all creatures and God in Christ, gives a
very peculiar character to Christianity and shows its divine
nature; since He who reveals the most profound truths, and puts
them in their right place in the circle of divine thought, does so
as speaking of a known thing, as communicating His own thoughts;
and can (being the Spirit of the God of love) fill the heart with
considerations which love only can suggest, with a dignity which
manifests their source, and with a delicacy of application which
shows that, whatever be the grandeur of His thoughts, He is at
liberty to consider everything.

When the human mind is occupied with elevated subjects, it feels
their weight, and bends under the load; it is absorbed; it has to
abstract itself, to fix its attention. God reveals His own
thoughts; and, vast as they may be to the human mind, they flow
with the clearness and connectedness that is natural to them, when
He communicates them by His chosen instruments. The latter are free
to love; for the God who employs them and inspires them is love. It
is a more essential part of their task to present Him thus, than
even to speak of the deep things. Accordingly, when they are moved
by that love, the character of Him who sends them is demonstrated
as that of the God who is the source of love, by a perfect
consideration for others, and the most delicate attention to those
things which their hearts would feel.

Moreover this love develops itself in relationships formed by
the Holy Ghost Himself, between the members of the body of Christ,
that is to say, between men. Springing from a divine source, and
always fed by it, christian affections assume the form of human
regard, which, by exhibiting love and the opposite of selfishness,
bear the stamp of their origin. Love, free from self, can and does
think of all that concerns others and understands what will affect
them.

Onesimus, a fugitive slave, had been converted by means of Paul
in his bonds. Philemon, a rich man or at least one of easy fortune,
received the assembly in his house (his wife being also converted),
and in his measure laboured himself in the Lord's work. Archippus
was a servant of the Lord, who ministered in the assembly, perhaps
an evangelist; at any rate he took part in the conflicts of the
gospel, and was thus associated with Philemon and the assembly.

The apostle, in sending Onesimus back, addresses the whole
assembly. This is the reason that we have here, "grace and peace,"
without the addition of "mercy," as when individuals only are
addressed by the apostles. His appeal on behalf of Onesimus is to
Philemon; but the whole assembly is to interest itself in this
beloved slave, who was become a child of God. Their christian
hearts would be a support and a guarantee for the conduct of
Philemon; although the apostle expects pardon and kindness for
Onesimus from the love of Philemon himself as a servant of
God.

Paul (as was his custom) recognises all the good that was in
Philemon, and uses it as a motive to Philemon himself, that he
might let the feelings of grace flow out freely, in spite of
anything that the return of Onesimus might excite in the flesh or
any displeasure that Satan might try to re-awaken in him. The
apostle would have that which he desired for Onesimus to be
Philemon's own act. The enfranchisement of his former slave, or
even his kind reception as a brother, would have quite a different
bearing in that case, than if it had arisen from a command on the
apostle's part; for christian affection and the bonds of love were
in question. He gives due weight to the right he had to command,
but only in order to abandon it, and to give more force to his
request; and at the same time he suggests that the communion of
Philemon's faith with the whole assembly of God and with the
apostle -- that is, the way in which his faith connected him, in
the activities of christian love, with the assembly of God and
those appointed by him to labour in it, and with the Lord Himself
-- which had already shown itself so honourably in Philemon, would
have its full development in the acknowledgement of all the
apostle's rights over his heart.

In verse 6 we must read "every good thing which is in us." -- It
is beautiful to see the mixture of affection for Onesimus -- which
shows itself in an anxiety that makes him plead every motive which
could act on the heart of Philemon -- with the christian feeling
that inspired him with full confidence in the kindly affections of
this faithful and excellent brother. The return of his fugitive
slave was indeed likely to stir up something in his natural heart;
the apostle interposes his letter on behalf of his dear child in
the faith, born in the time of his captivity. God had interposed
the work of His grace, which ought to act on the heart of Philemon,
producing altogether new relationships with Onesimus. The apostle
beseeches him to receive his former slave as a brother, but it is
evident (v. 12), although Paul wished it to be the spontaneous act
of the master whom Onesimus had wronged, that the apostle expected
the affranchisement of the latter. Be that as it may, he takes
everything upon himself for his dear son. According to grace
Onesimus was more profitable to Philemon, as well as to Paul, than
formerly, when the flesh had made him an unfaithful and valueless
servant; and this he should rejoice in (v. 11). Paul alludes to the
name of "Onesimus," which means "profitable." Finally, he reminds
Philemon that he was indebted to him for his own salvation -- for
his life as a Christian.

Paul at this moment was a prisoner at Rome. God had brought
Onesimus there (whither all resorted) to lead him to salvation and
the knowledge of the Lord, in order that we should be instructed,
and that Onesimus should have a new position in the christian
assembly.* It was apparently towards the end of the apostle's
imprisonment. He hopes at least soon to be released and tells
Philemon to prepare him a lodging.

{*It seems to me, from the way in which the apostle speaks,
that he even thought Onesimus would be an instrument of God in the
assembly, useful in the Lord's service. He would have retained him
to minister to himself in the bonds of the gospel; but he respects
his connection with Philemon. It was also much better for the soul
of Onesimus that he should submit himself where he had done wrong;
and if he was to be free, that he should receive his freedom from
the love of Philemon.}

We find the names again in the epistle to the Colossians. There
the apostle says, "Onesimus, who is one of you"; so that, if it be
the same, he was of Colosse. It seems likely, because there is
Archippus also, who is exhorted to take heed to his ministry. If it
be so, the fact that he speaks thus of Onesimus to the Christians
at Colosse is another proof of his loving care for this new
convert. He lays him thus upon the hearts of the assembly, sending
his letter by him and Tychicus. In the epistle to the Ephesians
there are no salutations; but the same Tychicus is its
bearer. Timothy is joined with Paul in the address of the epistle
to the Colossians, as well as in this to Philemon. It was not so in
the epistle to the Ephesians; but in that to the Philippians, to
whom the apostle hoped to send Timothy ere long, their two names
are again united.

I do not draw any conclusions from these last details; but they
furnish ground for inquiry into details. Each of the four epistles
was written during the apostle's captivity at Rome, and when he was
expecting to be delivered from that captivity.

Finally, that which we have especially to remark in the epistle
to Philemon is the love which, in the intimate centre of this
circle (guarded all round by an unparalleled development of
doctrine) reigned and bore fruit, and bound the members of Christ
together, and spread the savour of grace over all the relationships
in which men could stand towards each other, occupying itself about
all the details of life with a perfect propriety, and with the
recognition of every right that can exist among men and of all that
the human heart can feel.